Gaslighting is often discussed as a form of intentional manipulation. In active addiction, it is more accurately understood as a survival strategy. During detox admissions, families frequently describe feeling confused, doubting their own perceptions, or questioning reality altogether. They wonder if they are overreacting. They wonder if they imagined the warning signs. They wonder if […]
Tag Archives: relationships
12
Feb
Feb
It is one of the most common questions families ask during an intake call. Can they detox together? Can they room together? Wouldn’t it be better if they supported each other? When couples present in crisis, separation can feel counterintuitive. If the relationship is central to their lives, being apart may feel unsafe or even […]
29
Aug
Aug
Before jumping to conclusions and telling your loved one they need to go to detox, find a way to motivate them. It is easy to talk about addiction when you are not the one using the substance. However, knowing that your loved one is using can help you understand their suffering on an intimate level. […]
14
May
May
May 15 is designated as the International Day of Families. In 1993, the General Assembly of the United Nations set this day to focus on the importance of families worldwide. For those in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol, the family can factor into recovery in many ways. If you have strong family ties, […]
22
Mar
Mar
The word toxic means “containing or being poisonous material, especially when capable of causing serious injury or death.” Most people think of “toxic” as relating to chemicals and potential physical harm; however, many relationships can be their own version of “toxic.” If you are involved in a toxic relationship, it can be challenging to co-exist […]
26
Dec
Dec
Making transitions in life can be difficult, especially when it involves having conversations about aspects of our life we may have previously hidden. Sometimes, we struggle to function while our addiction and challenges remain out of sight. The stigma attached to mental health may mean suffering in silence for extended periods. Behaviors—good or bad—that others […]
19
Dec
Dec
Understanding the changes that need to take place in sobriety is essential to recovery. One of those changes is who you choose to spend your time with. When you were active in your addiction, the friends you hung around with probably drank and used as heavily as you did. You and your drinking and using […]
30
Oct
Oct
Only a small percentage of people decide to get sober on their own. Without having some significant ramifications that occur directly from their drug and alcohol use, many people choose to stay in their active addiction. The ease and comfort of alcoholism or addiction can keep a person from seeing that they are doing damage […]
25
Sep
Sep
Drugs and alcohol poison the mind of a person who is addicted to them. The powerful obsession of addiction will start to feed lies through the brain and make someone believe that they are not worthy and that no one cares about their situation. When the belief begins to occur, the person with the addiction […]
09
Sep
Sep
“Blood is thicker than water” is a phrase that implies that family is the most important bond that you can have here on Earth. In theory, that sounds like the perfect world. The truth is that family relationships can be tricky at times and hard to endure. Your deepest pain is probably rooted in the […]
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